2 replies to this topic

[hiddenmaniac]

I put this idea forward last year, then various circumstances prevented me from executing it.

I was considering hosting a panel about baseball in Japan at KKF, and maybe Tekko if it goes over well enough. I know what you're thinking- "We're 'nerds', and nerds aren't supposed to like sports!" But since baseball in Japan is about twice as popular as football in Pittsburgh, I think it's appropriate for an event meant to educate about Japanese culture.

Early this spring, when things looked pretty bleak, I promised myself I'd start following the Japanese professional baseball league (NPB) more closely this year. But then a team that's much closer to my hometown and heart started doing well (out of nowhere!) before a monumental collapse, so I got distracted from foreign ball. That means that, if I do this, I'm going to have a huge research blitz to do in the leadup.

And that's where you folks come in- if there's anyone out there who knows about, or is willing to help me research- Japanese baseball, I'd love to have someone co-host the panel with me! Obviously, the NPB is pretty important, but I'd also like to talk aboutthe National High School tournament, better known as Koshien. The Koshien is one of the biggest TV events in Japan, and you've probably heard references to it in your favorite slice-of-life anime series.

[DraikenTalkos]

To be honest, I don't know much about baseball in general (let alone Japanese baseball besides a few manga titles (the biggest names I can remember are Rookies and Cross Game)), but I have some notes about Koshien from a seminar I attended two years ago on the subject (because I loved watching the Rookies drama XD). I'll have to dig around for that particular notebook and decipher what I wrote, but I'd be willing to send some of those to you. (All I recommend is that you double-check some of my notes if you can and correct them so you don't accidentally give bad information.)

I also think that some mention of Japanese players in US Leagues and stuff might be an interesting topic to touch on.

[newtypezaku]

I might have said this on your last thread in the old forums, but go for it.  And I will say that Big Windup is the first baseball-related thing I've watched -- which includes games themselves -- that has actually made baseball entertaining since I was, like, ten and "Rookie of the Year" was one of my favoritest best sports movies evar.